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Thursday, 18 February 2010

In one of the issues of EL DORADO (the journal of THE SOUTH AND CENTRAL AMERICAN MILITARY HISTORIANS SOCIETY) that Terry Hooker recently sent me in PDF format, there was a review of Adrian J. English's THE GREEN HELL – A CONCISE HISTORY OF THE CHACO WAR BETWEEN BOLIVIA AND PARAGUAY 1932-35.

Although the book was published in 2007 by Spellmount Ltd., (ISBN 978 1 86227 445 7) this was the first I knew about it, and so I ordered one immediately. It arrived in the post today, and a quick glance through it indicates that it is even better than I had hoped.

This is hardly surprising as Adrian English is probably the doyen of English-speaking historians who specialise in the study of South American military history.

The book has chapters and sections entitled:

Chronology of Events

1. The Actors and the Stage

2. The Roots of Discord

3. Preparations for Conflict

4. The Dispute Escalates

5. The Road to War

6. The Opposing Forces

7. The First Paraguayan Offensive

8. The First Bolivian Counter-Offensive

9. The Second Paraguayan Offensive

10. The Third Paraguayan Offensive

11. The Second Bolivian Counter-Offensive

12. The Paraguayan Counter-Offensive

13. The War in The Air

14. The Fourth Paraguayan Offensive

15. The Closing Phase

16. Armistice and Peace Treaty

17. Summary

18. Epilogue

Appendix I: Bolivian Army Units

Appendix II: Major Equipment of the Bolivian Army

Appendix III: Material Captured by Bolivia During the War

Appendix IV: Aircraft of the Bolivian Air Force

Appendix V: Paraguayan Army Units

Appendix VI: Major Equipment of the Paraguayan Army

Appendix VII: Material Captured from the Bolivians by Paraguay During the War

Appendix VIII: Ships of the Paraguayan Navy

Appendix IX: Vessels of the Paraguayan Merchant Marine Mobilised and Incorporated into the Navy During the War

Appendix X: Aircraft of the Paraguayan Air Force and Naval Air Arm

The book seems to have just about every piece of information a wargamer would need to have to refight this war. All I have to do now is to resist the temptation to do so!

It is fascinating! Both sides start with relatively small, ill-equipped armies, and have to fight a war whilst expanding their armies and buying whatever equipment they could on the open market. In some ways it almost sounds like the way a wargamer would take on the project.

I am afraid that this particular war seems to have this effect on wargamers. Once they start to get to know about it, it sort of gets into their wargaming 'soul'.

You are absolutely right; you can use all sorts of odds and ends of kit from 1900 onwards, including naval guns mounted on land carriages, light tanks, 1930s trucks, biplane fighters, transport aircraft, narrow gauge railways, submachine guns, mountain guns, 20mm Oerlikon guns, and much, much more!

Because the Chaco is so large, most of the fighting took place either near the major river or in open terrain near waterholes. The latter would usually be guarded by a ‘fortine’ (a group of hutted barracks surrounded by a wall and/or trenches), and a lot of battles were fought to either to capture or defend one of theses ‘fortines’. The terrain was mainly flat (ideal for the wargames table!) and covered with a fairly dense mixture of scrub and trees. There were areas of denser jungle-like vegetation and areas of open scrubland as well. There was a lot of trench fighting, but because of the space trench lines were never continuous and it was possible to outflank a position if your troops could cut their way through the undergrowth to do so.

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The First Rule of Wargaming and the Spirit of the Wargame

The First Rule:

‘Nothing can be done contrary to what could or would be done in actual war.'

- From 'The Rules of the Naval War Game' by Fred T Jane

The Spirit of the Wargame:

‘Wargames are played, for the most part, without the supervision of an umpire. The game relies on the integrity of the individual players to show consideration for other players and to abide by the rules. All players should conduct themselves in a disciplined manner, demonstrating courtesy and sportsmanship at all times, irrespective of how competitive they may be. This is the spirit of the wargame.’

- Adapted from 'The Spirit of the Game' in 'The Rules of Golf' as published by the R&A Ltd.

About Me

I have been wargaming for as long as I can remember. One of the first toys that I was bought was a wooden fort that was garrisoned by assorted lead soldiers ... and I have never looked back!
The first wargames book I bought was CHARGE! (although I had taken out [and repeatedly read] Donald Featherstone's WAR GAMES book beforehand [and many thanks to John Curry for republishing it!]).
My first 20mm figures were the good old Airfix Guards Infantry and Band (in shocking pink!), soon followed by others as they were released, and by 1968, when I bought my first metal Hinton Hunt 20mm figures, I had a large collection of World War II figures, tanks, guns, and aircraft.
I was a founder member of WARGAME DEVELOPMENTS and have been the treasurer and membership secretary ever since. I have also organised – along with Tim Gow - the annual conference (COW – Conference of Wargamers) for the past ten years.
My main interests are wargaming any wars from 1850 onwards, although I have a special interest in Colonial, the Spanish Civil War, and World War II wargaming.
I also have a special interest in wargames that use square or hex grids for movement and weapon ranges.